AALL Internet Lesson: Nutritious Menu Planning :
Teacher’s Page If you have
any comments/questions please contact Claire
Ludovico
Learning Level: ABE II and III
Sample Activity from Indicator C (Life Science): ABE II Family: (The learner will be able to) Use the Food Guide Pyramid (USDA)
to plan nutritionally balanced meals for the family’s breakfast, lunch, (and) dinner menus for the week... (And) Investigate healthy
snacks to eat between meals.
Arizona Standards/Indicators:
Reading
Indicator A: Applies recognition and decoding strategies to pronounce
and derive meaning of unfamiliar and technical words
4. Applies context clues to confirm meaning of figurative, idiomatic, and technical words
Indicator B: Applies reading skills to interpret functional and informational text, e.g., consumer information, newspapers, civics
documents, science publications
1. Identifies the main idea, critical details, and author’s point of view and relates them to other sources, real life, and related topics
Writing
Indicator B: Applies the writing process to complete a variety of writing tasks
5. Writes a report of at least 50 words that summarizes a research project and includes a chart, table, or graph
Science
Indicator B: Adult learners understand the impact of science and technology on human activity and the environment as it relates to the
past, present, and future.
4. Describe and compare the intended benefits and unintended consequences and/or risks of scientific and technologic innovations on
society and the quality of life.
5. Describe how technology affects the definitions of, access to, and use of resources and the effects of population on those resources.
7. Analyze the risk factors associated with natural, biological, chemical, social (occupational safety and transportation), and personal
(smoking, diet, and drugs) hazards.
6. Evaluate the merit of a proposed solution to a human or environmental problem.
Indicator C: Adult learners understand the characteristics of living things... Adult learners understand the interrelationships of matter
and energy in living organisms and the interactions of living organisms with their environments.
Lesson Overview: This lesson provides an overview and understanding of the Food Guide Pyramid, some controversy regarding the Food Guide
Pyramid, and an introduction to alternate Food Pyramids. Basic vocabulary words, use of the chart(s) in family menu planning, and
reasons why to use a chart will be covered.
Warm-up:
Ask students:
1. “How many of you think you eat a healthy diet?”
2. “Why would you want to eat a healthy diet?”
3. “How do you know what a healthy diet is?”
Student Activity:
Direct students to the Nutritious Menu Planning Lesson.
You may want to have copies of the nutrition guide already downloaded and copied
to save time. Print copies of the pages for each student to use as a worksheet.
If you are in a lab, you may want to copy the page to a word file.
Post Assessment:
In a group setting , review answers on student worksheets. Discuss responses and reasons for selection of dietary guidelines other than the
USDA Food Guide Pyramid. Share any recipes that students found to try.
Branching Out:
Write to your Congressperson or search the web to see if you can find out the results of the PCRM lawsuit against the USDA.